Friday, February 6, 2015

St. Martin and St. Maarten!


A lot of people have been asking me about my most recent cruise with Carnival. I decided to write about each island that we visited. All of the ports were amazing. We did the southern Caribbean. It was my favorite cruise I've been on yet and this was my fifth cruise!

The awesome thing about cruises is you get to decide which islands you would like to come back and visit. My husband and I would love to pay off our house early and purchase a condo in the Caribbean. A cruise is the perfect way to explore that idea! ;)

St. Martin (French side) and St. Maarten (Dutch side) is an island split between two nations! A tour of the history of the island is a MUST if you visit! 

While I enjoyed both the French side and the Dutch side, my favorite was St. Martin (the French side). It's more known for its tranquil beaches and fashion boutiques while St. Maarten is more known for its nightlife and casinos (still lots of fun!) 

I will start with the French side, St. Martin

The open air market in St. Martin was breathtaking! There were local artisans selling art, jewelry, pottery, clothing, you name it! The open air market was located right next to the water which made it even more breathtaking.


Our next stop was Bikini Beach. It was like a dream and I didn't want to leave! Although this was located on the French side, it was not a nude beach. (as some of the beaches are on the french side)That is definitely something to keep in mind when booking an all inclusive resort on the French side.
Bikini Beach was such a lovely quiet beach. I loved the contrast of the purple and gray umbrellas with the turquoise water and bright blue sky! 









Next: St. Maarten (Dutch side)

We stumbled upon this gem of a cafe! It's called Cafe Chocolate & Vanilla. It was complete with checkered board flooring, a vintage crystal chandelier, ghost chairs and an ocean front view of the Caribbean! We shared a delicious cookies & cream waffle cone while we enjoyed free wifi! :) It was a dream!







































We randomly stopped on the side of the road to take a picture of the view in St. Maarten. There isn't a bad view on the island!

Question: Would I come back to visit St. Martin/St. Maarten?

Answer: Yes! I would visit this island again in a heartbeat! I would love to go back to St. Martin and stay in an all inclusive resort. 

Question: Would I possibly buy a condo here?

Answer: Yes!! This port was definitely my favorite (if not my favorite, St. Thomas was high on the list too!) I love that you have a low key part of the island and also an upbeat part of the island. It really is the best of both worlds!

Top: TJ Maxx
Crossbody: DSW 
Handsome Stranger bag: Kate Spade





























2 comments:

  1. Sounds amazing! We are planning to take our first trip to st maarten in the beginning of May. Can't wait!!

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    Replies
    1. That's so exciting! You will absolutely love it!! I hope you have tons of fun!!! :) :) :)

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